Gaura plant named ‘Nugauwhite’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gaura  plant named ‘Nugauwhite’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; freely branching growth habit; freely flowering habit; long flowering period; and white-colored flowers.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Gaura lindheimericultivar Nugauwhite.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gauraplant, botanically known as Gaura lindheimeri, and hereinafter referredto by the cultivar name Nugauwhite.

The new Gaura is a product of a planned breeding program conducted bythe Inventor in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new compact and freely-branchingGauras with upright plant habit, numerous flowers and attractive flowercoloration.

The new Gaura originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventorin December, 1998 of a proprietary selection of Gaura lindheimeriidentified as code number X98.1.2, not patented, as the female, or seed,parent with a proprietary selection of Gaura lindheimeri identified ascode number X98.1.1, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. Thenew Gaura was selected as a single plant from the resulting progeny ofthe cross-pollination by the Inventor in December, 2000 in an controlledenvironment in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia sinceDecember, 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Gaura arestable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Nugauwhite have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Nugauwhite’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Nugauwhite’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofGaura:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.    -   2. Freely branching growth habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Long flowering period.    -   5. White-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Gaura can be compared to plants of the parentselections. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Cobbitty, New SouthWales, Australia, plants of the new Gaura differed from plants of theparent selections in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gaura had white-colored roots whereas        plants of the parent selections had pink-colored roots.    -   2. Plants of the new Gaura had white-colored flowers whereas        plants of the parent selections had pink-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Gaura can also be compared to plants of the Gauracultivar Whirling Butterflies, not patented. In side-by-side comparisonsconducted in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia, plants of the newGaura differed from plants of the cultivar Whirling Butterflies in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gaura were more compact than plants of the        cultivar Whirling Butterflies.    -   2. Plants of the new Gaura were more freely branching than        plants of the cultivar Whirling Butterflies.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Gaura.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typicalflowers of ‘Nugauwhite’.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Nugauwhite’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations andmeasurements describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif. in apolyethylene-covered greenhouse during the winter and spring with daytemperatures ranging from 16 to 35° C. and night temperatures rangingfrom 10 to 21° C. Plants were grown in 15-cm container and had beengrowing for about eight weeks when the photographs and description weretaken. Plants were pinched one time. Color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Gaura lindheimeri cultivar Nugauwhite.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary selection of Gaura lindheimeri            identified as code number X98.1.2, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Gaura lindheimeri            identified as code number X98.1.1, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About one to three weeks.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four to five            weeks.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; freely branching, dense;            white in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Form.—Compact and upright plant habit; inverted triangle;            airy and open plant form. Freely branching growth habit with            about eight lateral branches per plant. Moderately vigorous            growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 40 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 44 cm.        -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 35 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Internode length: About 1.4 to 3 cm. Strength: Strong.            Texture: Sparsely pubescent. Color: 146A.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple;            sessile. Length: About 6 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Shape:            Linear to narrowly elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Clasping.            Margin: Entire to shallow sinuate. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Slightly pubescent; lower surface more pubescent            than upper surface. Venation pattern: Pinnate; arcuate.            Color: Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:            147A. Developing and fully expanded foliage, lower surface:            147A. Venation, upper and lower surfaces: 148C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Solitary zygomorphic flowers arranged            on terminal and axillary spikes; flowers sessile. Flowers            persistent. Flowers face mostly outwardly from the stem            axis.        -   Quantity.—Freely flowering; terminal panicles with typically            about 60 flower buds and open flowers per inflorescence.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; plants            typically flower from March through November in Southern            California; flowering continuous during this period. Plants            start flowering about four to six weeks after planting.        -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About three days.        -   Fragrance.—Not detected.        -   Inflorescence length.—About 14 cm; flowers separated about 1            cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 2.5 cm.        -   Flower size.—Length: About 2.5 cm. Width: About 3.5 cm.            Depth: About 2.3 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.            Shape: Slender, elongated. Color: 144C.        -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Four petals in a single whorl.            Length: About 1.8 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Elongated            oblong; claw-like. Apex: Broadly acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, satiny. Color:            When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155A. Fully            opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 155A.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement/appearance: Single whorl of four sepals;            fused at the base. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 1 cm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: 144B to 144C.        -   Peduncles.—Teminal peduncle length: About 13 cm. Axillary            peduncle length: About 5 cm. Width: About 1 mm. Angle:            Terminal peduncles, upright; axillary peduncles, about 45°            from the stem axis. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Color: 147B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Eight.            Anther shape: Linear; slender. Anther length: Less than            1 mm. Anther diameter: About 4 mm. Anther color: 185A.            Pollen amount: Scarce. Pollen color: 150D. Pistils: Quantity            per flower: One. Pistil length: About 3 cm. Style length:            About 1.8 mm. Style color: 157A. Stigma shape: Four-parted.            Stigma color: 145B. Ovary color: 144A.        -   Fruit/seed.—Fruit and seed production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Gaura have not been noted    to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Gaura.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Gaura have been observed to    tolerate temperatures from −4 to 43° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Gaura plant named ‘Nagauwhite’, asillustrated and described.